As part of its commitment to social development, UMS Group (UMS), along with Petroleum Development Oman (PDO) and National Training Institute (NTI), has established Ishraaq – Oman Digital Academy to support the vision of developing skilled human resources for the digital age. The Academy was formally launched recently at Oman Forum by HE Talal Al Rahbi, deputy secretary general, Supreme Council for Planning, in the presence of HE Sheikh Salim Bin Mustahail Al Mashani – vice chairman of Muscat Overseas Group, the parent company of UMS.

The Academy will train Omani youth and help launch a career in social media communication and Marketing. Ishraaq is a 12-month training programme designed to develop students into highly competent social media executives, who will help add significant value to the digital communication initiatives of enterprises in Oman.
This year, 15 young Omanis will acquire social media skills for application in the business world. It will include 1,440 hours of training on effective use of various social media platforms and communication tools that will help businesses enhance brand awareness, generate leads and drive sales. At the end of the course, the top performers will receive on-the-job experience, certification and placement support from UMS, which is one of Oman’s pioneers and leaders in media, advertising and digital communication.
Speaking about the Academy, Sandeep Sehgal, chief executive, UMS Group, said, “With over 27 years of experience in brand and corporate communication, UMS is a pioneer in digital media in Oman. Ishraaq is designed to use our expertise and domain knowledge to build the potential of young Omanis and encourage them to be an active participant in the nation’s economy. We are very thankful for the support from our partners – PDO and NTI – who have committed themselves to this endeavour in creating digital leaders of tomorrow.”